I Will Be What I Will Be - I Am With Them In Their Troubles with Rabbi Aaron Dovid Poston

Heat. Heat. [music] [singing] [music] [singing] >> [music] [singing] [music] [singing] >> a very coveted crowd. Shalom everybody. Welcome back to the midash. Welcome home to Torah. We are using the clear as the basis for our discussion. specifically the safer called ear gioreim in paras vieira chapter 6 verse 3 of exodus schmos I want to encourage everybody to go down below in the link first of all you can see previous classes also you'll get the original Hebrew sheets if you go to the right u year the right title and it'll be bene very beneficial to everybody especially yourself because you really can't tell you really can't tell all the nuances in the English but in the Hebrew it opens up a whole new vista a whole new way of looking at [snorts] things as we will see in the first p so God spoke to Moses and said to him I am hem I am v I appeared to Yakov as a different let's say a different character a different name each name is an attribute so the certain attribute called Kale Shakai but with my name the Yudke VK which I'm introducing myself to you now I did not make myself known to them which really means what does it mean I didn't make myself known to them okay it means I did not make myself I didn't become known to them I didn't make myself known to them and that is a little bit cryptic in the English but we'll through a little bit of work uh we're reading the rashis and all the other puking will understand it better. So the clear begins in the usual fashion here in Igriim with a medish and the medish starts by saying right the verse we just read there Abraham I appeared to Abraham as so and so but midash the midash brings down a very interesting idea we're all aware of the four languages the four distinct languages of redemption So if you look in the source that it mentions chapter 6:es 6-7 that is where the four languages the four lash expressions of redemption come from. Therefore say to the children of Israel it says source number three I am the Lord and I will take you out from under. I mean the words I will take you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will save you. The word is right. I'm going to save you from their labor. I'm going to redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgment. And then I'm gonna take you I'm going to take you to be a people to me as a people. And I will be a god to you. and you will know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Now I just want to go back to the first rashi which we skipped. When God says I did not become known to them by the yud vke but what he did was he promised them things that he didn't fulfill in their lifetime. Whereas by Moses's time, he's actually fulfilling them. So in a certain sense, the name Yudke V has um attached to it this idea of loyalty and fulfillment of promises. Let's look at Rashi on source number one chapter 6:3. [clears throat] with the name of Kal Shakai, the Almighty God. I did I made promises to them in all of them which I said I am Kalshai. But with my name Yud V, I did not make myself known to them. What does that mean? First of all, the Hebrew is um no dati. Okay, no dati. Rashi points out it doesn't say loi. It doesn't say but my name Yud V I didn't really make known to them but rather loi I did not become known which is different. I did not become known meaning I was not recognized by them with my attribute of keeping faith by dent didn't of which my name which means I am faithful to verify my words for I made promises to them but I did not fulfill them while they were alive. It's only now in Moses' time. I'm fulfilling all these promises. God promised that he would give us the land of Israel. He would take us out of whatever burdens and Egyptian whatever uh servitude and bring us to the land of Israel. And he did not do that in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's time. Meaning they still had to buy, right? Even though the land was theirs, they were strangers. They didn't really own the land outright in its fullest sense. It was a promise yet fulfilled. Aram had to buy uh a burial plot for Sara. Yets had to buy or purchase places to build wells. Yakov bought a burial place for Yseph. Okay. So during their lifetime, it wasn't full. It wasn't full. the the the promise that this land belongs to you was not full. Even in our lifetime as we're coming back to Israel for the last 150 years, the early settlers bought and purchased even today to to live in the old city to live in uh um what they call the Muslim quarter, the ancient ancient Jewish quarter or anywhere in Jew East Jerusalem. Jews have been purchasing these places for for God knows how long. Um, okay. So, what are these four languages? According to this midrash, not only did God say these four languages to us on our way out or as we're about to leave Egypt, the med says there also four expressions of redemption about the future. In Ezekiel 34:13, which you'll see number four on the source sheet, God says, "I will take them out from among the nations." It's unbelievable. This is like right in front of our eyes. Right in front of our eyes. This is beginning to happen. And I will gather them from the lands from the the non-Jewish lands where we were, and bring them to their land. This is a promise in Ezekiel. and I will shepherd them to the mountain of Israel by the streams and in all the dwellings of the land. We will live in the land of Israel in every area. Yehuda, Bishamron, Vaza. And remember, the land does not just end where it is today. Okay? It goes, I don't know how far into Syria, maybe all the way to Turkey, um up the Lebanon coast, into Syria perhaps. Like I said, all the way into Turkey. As far as the the western border, the uh the the river of Egypt, which I don't know where that is. It could be somewhere in the middle of Gaza. It could be somewhere in the middle of the Senai Peninsula. It could even be the Nile River. I have no idea. We don't know how far west. But anyway, that is the promise of the future. There's also four languages of redemption going on in the future. And then the mid says, now this we know is rabbitic. But where did the rabbis whenever the rabbis come up with anything, it's always based on something that is hinted at in the Torah. Okay? So there are four languages. These four languages parallel the four cups that we raise that we drink on Pesak which hints to reward. Reward in Psalms 23:5 actually also six. Imagine this is God's promise to King David. You set a table before me in the presence of my adversaries. Imagine right now. Right now we have Iran, Iraq, Houthis, Yemen, Lebanon, the we still have kamas down in uh in in in the Gaza Strip. Who else? We're surrounded by enemies. And yet David says, "You've set a table before me in the presence of my adversaries. You anointed my head with oil. And now this is the key. My cup overflows. Right. We lift four cups of salvation. Right. Right. I'm raise my cup. So this idea of my cup overflows. May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life. and I dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days. So this this kosa what does it mean this overflowing cup okay now it may sound very good for us but it's not it's not so true by the goyam which we'll see because even though that's the reward for the Jews who can negate arbos piranios this is going to parallel the four cups of how we're going to translate piranios negative could be punishments tribulations that are going to happen that is going to produce in the future. He says that Hashem will cause the evil people to drink this cup. says in Jeremiah chapter 25 verse 15 and 16 number six on the source sheet for so said the Lord God of Israel to me to Jeremiah take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand right take this cup of wine of the wine of fury from my hand and you shall give it to all the nations to whom I send you to drink and they shall drink and reel to and fro and be like mad men be right mad men. I mean, just think about how crazy some of these adversaries of Israel are. Whether from Nasha, Arafa, Yakam, you know, Kmeni, I don't even know how to pronounce his name. Um, because of the sword I am sending among them. Okay, so that is now look at Rashi on that. The cup of the wine of fury, the pro prophecy of retribution. They will pay and you shall give it and they're going to drink it. What is this prophecy? God is telling yahu to prophesy to them that it will no longer be retracted for any repentance. In other words, once we get to this point, it doesn't matter. You can get on your hands and knees all you want and beg for mercy. At some point the line has been crossed and there is no mercy. There's no repentance. By the way, Yonatan targetan renders and they shall be confused and be like mad men an expression of madness. They shall be mad. Okay, that is the medish. That's how we begin. And as we know what the kakar right now is going to speak about is not necessarily the midrash but it was an introduction to something fantastic which we'll only get to many pages later or may maybe many years later but we're going to start with the clear [clears throat] at the time the Jewish people are in exile the bitsara okay we We all know this. When we're in exile, we're enveloped. We're immersed. We're saturated with pains and troubles. There's no question about it. But something you didn't know is that when we are in galut, there are three additional things that are in galut with us. Altogether, these four things. Now, it sounds very strange. I'll tell you what they are. Obviously, it's the Jewish people. That's one of the four things goes into galut needs no explanation here. But what we do need to explain, Hashem, Hashem goes down into galut with us. He is mossara, as we'll see in Psalms 91:15. I am with you in distress. I am with you. God says, I am with you. And we're going to see and prove it over the next page and a half God is in exile with us. And what else? We said there's four things. The Torah is in exile with us and the angels are in exile with us. Question is, why should all three of these things be connected to the Jewish people when they're in exile? Well, let's begin with talking about Hashem. Hashem, why is he in exile with us? So, five lines down, four lines down, even he even Baraku is with the Jewish people in their troubles like we learn this is in Gmorra Migilla uh 29a based on the verse I just mentioned in Psalms 91:15 I am with him in distress it says in Deuteronomy 30:3 now this is very interesting because it says okay what's the source number here. Number nine. Now, this is a little bit, you need a little bit of patience here in English. Then the Lord your God will bring back your exiles. That's the English translation, but it's not a true translation because the word vash, hashem, hashem will return. That's what the word vash is going on. Look at Rashi, right? You see number nine, the word shave, the Lord your God will himself return with your exiles. That's the real true meaning. When you look at the Hebrew, that is the verb vash is a simple conjugation. Now, since we understand the verse, know we're reading the verse that God is going to return the captives. He's going to return us. There's no question about it. Scripture should have written then and according to the clearar he says it should have said yes but yeshiv is not mentioned. So the very fact that it says hashem will return. Okay. Scripture should have written as with the verb the hash being the causitive conjun conjugation meaning to bring back. But no, although the meaning of the verse is indeed yes, God will bring back the exiles, the rabbis learn from the simple conjugation of the verb, the text itself here, which alludes to God himself returning that the Shina resides amongst Israel as if as it were in all the misery of their exile. And when the Jews are redeemed from their exile, Hashem writes in the scripture an expression of redemption for himself to allude to the fact that he has also been redeemed and so that as it were and so that he himself returns along with Israel's exiles. There's a few other lessons here. Why is it that [snorts] God will exile himself? We're going to talk about this, but the idea is that we are praying for the return of the exiles. We're hoping and praying and people can make an active role in coming and packing their bags and coming to Israel. You bring Hashem with you. You bring the Shina with you. It's when we're praying, we should be praying that God comes out of exile. Sometimes we're so wrapped up in ourselves. Oh, if only we, the Jewish people, would come out of exile. What about Hashem? He's in exile. He feels for us. We, so to speak, should feel for him. There's a few other lessons here, and I'm going to read the rest of that rashi. A further lesson may be learned from the unusual form of the verb, which expresses to bring back the exiles. The day on which Israel's exiles would be gathered is so monumental. Now when I think about this and the controversy over the conscription of yeshiva's students in the army, listen to what it says. This is rashi thousand years ago 900 years ago. A further lesson may be learned from the unusual form of the verb which expresses to bring back the exiles. The day on which Israel exiles be will be gathered is so monumental that this in gathering will be a such a difficult procedure as it were because it's [snorts] not by God that it is though God himself must literally take each and every individual Jew with his very hands take him out of the place in exile. Imagine that each individual is coming out of exile. Hashem is personally in their lives. For whatever reason, they end up hearing Israel. We see the same concept in scripture when the verse says, "And you'll be gathered up one by one." This is in Isaiah 27:2, "Oh children of Israel, as well as the in gathering from Babylon." I'm sorry, that was referring to Babylon. um and also by the other exiles. In terms of the others, Jeremiah 48:47, "And I shall bring back the exiles of Moab." Now, what did I mention about this idea of the uh yeshiva students? We're going to get to that shortly. I'm sorry I brought it up already, but that's okay. Um, we're going to talk about the fact that the Torah went into exile, but that's where we're at. The Torah went into ex Oh, sorry. God went into exile. So, let's talk about this a little bit more. It says in the clear car, he's bringing down another verse. We we saw in uh Deuteronomy chapter 30:3 if it's only therefore the very fact it says and not yes that means Hashem is going to return with us and that's what it means in Ezekiel 37:22 look at number 10 on the source sheet therefore say to the house of Israel so says says the Lord. Not for your sake do I do this, oh house of Israel, but for my holy name. This is like the hitting the nail on the head, right? We're talking about God is going to come out of exile. Even if we're not deserving, he [snorts] does not want to stay in exile. He will do it for his name's sake, meaning for himself. And we end up being coming along with. Okay, that's what it means. Not for your sake do I do this. Rashi says there not for your sake is the salvation that I shall save you by. It's not our good deeds. It's not all the efforts we make. It's going to be ultimately up to Hashem and we'll call it his grace. He's he's wanting to uh get out of exile and we will end up getting coming along with okay you can call it not collateral damage but collateral salvation good idea okay and he says similarly king David basically commanded in his song the songwriter in Psalms 6:4 for and my soul is very frightened theem but you until when because it's up to you it's up to hem adai by the way just if you look in the Ramban on this verse gives a lot more explanation we don't have time to go through it some of it is very cababalistic and we'll save it for another time in the meantime what King David is saying you God until when will you be in the troubles? When how long is going to take for you to get out of the troubles? Why don't you do this for your sake? King David is saying do it for your sake because your name is desecrated amongst the nations. As long as the Jews are in exile, that is God's name being desecrated. Similar to our original verse, chapter 6:3, God spoke to Moses, saying as if to say, I am God. I am with you in your troubles. Therefore, you should be assured, you should feel secure in the fact that you will be redeemed. Even if I'm not going to do it for their sake, you should rest assured that even if I don't do it for your sake, I'm going to do it for my name, for my sake. I will do it. And this is what is meant. I couldn't find the medish, but he quotes a medishimar. It's all over the place. Rashi mentions it a few times that any place that says I am v is the explanation is I am trusted to pay fulfill my promises to pay the reward. Okay. What does that mean? He means to say he's saying that this is absolutely verified. This reward that I will give you is 100%. That I am and I dwell with you. By the way, the name Yehuda, that's what Jews are called. Yehoudim is God's name with a dollar right in the right a dollar in the middle. A dollar means in this world. We are God's representatives in this world. We should live up to it. But that's our responsibility. So he says because I dwell with you, I'm going to end up coming back, so to speak. I'm going to return from the exile. I'm going to do it for my sake. And this was the promise that mo that God re revealed to Moses nigla. But this promise he never revealed to the forefathers because they weren't redeemed in those in those years. Lo nigla. God did not reveal himself as the yudai only as the name the character of Kshakai which means enough troubles I'll remove the troubles I'll stop the troubles that's true but that's not the same thing as saying I'm with you in the troubles okay I'm going to stop the troubles that's a nice promise the name hints that God is saying enough of troubles. It'll stop. But God did not reveal to them that he is with them in their troubles. Nevertheless, the forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, didn't even think twice. They didn't question Hashem. It didn't ruin or have any effect on their faith. And that's what it means in our verse chapter 6:3 that God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as Kshakai. But the name Yudke, he didn't make known to them, I didn't inform them. I didn't make known to them. I didn't make myself known to them with the name as one who dwells with you even in your troubles that they didn't question it. They had faith. They and they believed. They trusted that they would be redeemed. the but God is saying but you Moshe you did not fully believe that you were not a full believer until I revealed to you that I dwell with you in exile. I will dwell with them in exile. I'm not going to talk about it now, but on a certain level, the burning bush symbolized this concept that God was with us even in our troubles. So, how was it that God revealed to him? Great to hear this shamlo he with with the idea that he said to him and this is in gen in Exodus chapter 3 verse14 I will be that which I will be okay where do we find this on the story sheet number 13 now this is very interesting because Moses asked God if they ask me who sent me what's your name. So God says, "I will be that which I shall be." So he said, "So you shall say to the children of Israel, I will be as sent me to you." So this verse is obviously very cryptic because if God just got done saying that my name is I shall be that which I shall be then why does he change it and say only tell him I shall be. So this is a very important rashi maybe I'll try to sum it up. Basically the idea that I will be which I shall be means I am always with you in your troubles. Well the Jewish people Israel was just in Egypt for you knowund 190 years 210 years 210 years and they had a hard time. So now you're telling me there's going to be some future troubles that you're going to be with me in. Thank you very much, but that's too much for me to handle right now. So that's what Moses has this conversation. Don't lay the trip on them about the future. Let's just deal with right now. Let's hear Rashi a which I shall be. Rashi says I will be with them in this predicament. what I will be that's with them in the subjuga subjugation of future kingdoms of future exiles. So Moses says before Hashem, oh Lord of the universe, why should I mention to them about other troubles? Don't they have enough troubles with this one? So God says, you know what, you're right. You spoke well. So there this is what you should say only a yes at me. No, not that Moses, God forbid, outsmarted God, which you may have thought, but he did not understand what God meant because originally when God said, "I will be what I will be." He told this to Moses alone. He did not mean that he should tell to Israel. That is the meaning you've spoken well for that was my original intention. That's what God's saying. That's right. Of course, you're only going to say, "I will be." That's all you have to tell them. You don't have to tell them such things, right? Only say to them sent me and that's it. So that's a very interesting idea. So how was this re revealed to Moses at this point? Okay, by the burning bushlo this idea I will be which I will be hints to the idea that I am with them in their pains. shame [clears throat] regarding this that's what the name represents just like Rashi mentioned and we read that I will be with them in their pain all this has to do with being in exile with the Jewish people therefore God was saying to the Jewish people I am God. I am Hashem VK who's going to dwell with you for my sake. I will eventually take you out if you're not deserving. If if it's not for you, I'm at least going to do it for me. Okay. Okay. Gimmel. Now, we're talking about the Torah. The Torah was the Torah descended. The Torah was immersed in the exile as well. And this is where I'm going to get into the idea perhaps of only the top students of Torah, which we're not the ones who judges, uh, should be exempt. We need, wait till you hear this. Wait till you hear this. When the Jewish people, when the children of Israel, when God's children are exiled, that at the time that we're in exile, then the source of wisdom, the very source of wisdom is closed and the Torah is placed in the corner of a room and nobody's even looking for it and nobody's even requesting it. And because of kitsuak we'll see means shortness of breath. It could be impatience but it's because of the hard labor and the stress. And avoid it says in Isaiah 29:14 right? And the wisdom of his wise men shall be lost. This is talking about the exile. But wait till you hear this. It says, "Therefore, I will continue, this is 14 in the source sheet, Isaiah 29:14, I will continue to perform obscurity to the people, obscurity upon obscurity in the Hebrew, wonder upon wonder, obscurity upon obscurity, and the wisdom of his wise man shall be lost. God forbid the Torah should be lost and the understanding of his geniuses shall be hidden. But that's what it says. Now, what does Rashi say? Unbelievable. Therefore, I will continue to perform obscurity upon obscurity. I am he who will continue to perform additional obscurity upon obscurity, concealment upon concealment, ceiling upon ceiling. And what is this obscurity upon obscurity? And the wisdom of the wise men shall be lost. Now, drum roll, please. And what is this obscurity upon obscurity? And the wisdom of their wise men shall be lost. Ready for this? The taking away of the sages of Israel is twice as hard as the destruction of the temple and all the curses in Deuteronomy. If anybody causes the sages of Israel or the top-notch students of Israel to stop learning Torah, it's twice as bad as the destruction of the temple. And all the curses mentioned in Deuteronomy. For all of them are only one obscurity. See in Deuteronomy chapter 28:59 where the the curses are mentioned. And the Lord shall make your plagues obscure. The word hella. Whereas here in this verse about and the wisdom of his wise men shall be lost. There is obscurity upon obscurity upon obscurity. He mentions only two times. But there's multiple obscurities here which makes it even worse. I couldn't have thought of a better a better proof text. But okay. So the Torah goes into exile as well. And yes, we are still in exile. As long as we don't have the temple, as long as we don't have all the Jews back in Israel, and as long as we don't have the right, the Messiah, we're in exile. So, what about Ker Ruak? There is a definition of Koteruak. I just want you to look on source number 20, Exodus 6:9. I just wanted we we brought up Koteruak. What does it mean? [snorts] It says, "They didn't hearken to Moses because of their shortness of breath. coat ru it means they didn't accept consolation they despaed completely of ever being redeemed because of their shortness of breath whoever is under stress stress his wind and his breath are short and he cannot take a deep breath similarly to this interpretation meaning that is what is meant by I am the lord I am faithful to fulfill my word okay we'll talk about this the rest of this rashi when we get there. But since we brought up what does it mean? So we read as Isaiah 29 and then he brings us to Jeremiah 497. It's 497 or 8. [snorts] Um it's number 15 on the source sheet concerning Adam. So said the Lord of hosts. Is there no more wisdom in the south? Counsel is lost from the sons. Their wisdom has spoiled. Right. that wisdom has become soiled in Adam in this exile. [snorts] I mean I you know just to bring up this I know it's very controversial but many people said we have more people learning than ever before. That's what I Yeah. Right. And that may be true but the quality is not the same. Right. The way people used to learn the real learning we don't have that. Okay. That's like number one. There's another idea. um just in terms of the idea that yita sadaras that were on a much lower level than our forefathers perhaps the quality of our learning is not as great but also the tremendous amount of distractions whether it's the technology whether it's the news uh whatever it is when we're in exile and we're being chased right one of the reasons that the Mishna had to be written down and the tama was originally written down as well is as the Ramom says we weren't learning properly, right? And why weren't we learning proper? Because we were being chased. We were being prose persecuted. When you're being persecuted, it's really hard to learn. So, with all that said, that's what we said, right? Their wisdom has spoiled. And that's what it means full circle. Remember, we're trying to prove that it was the Torah that went into exile as well. The word ani, what does no remind you of? The first word of the ten commandments, which represents the Torah. In Psalms 91:15, the whole Torah is somehow wrapped up in that one word because it's the first word of the ten commandments. And remember God said, "I'm going to bring you to the land." Which land is that? It's the land of Erit Israel because the land of Erit Israel, it's the air, it's the atmosphere itself that causes one to be wise. You can find that in that the land of Israel is the very land that is prepared. It's prepared and ready for all types of preparation for wisdom in Torah. And that's what it means in Exodus 6:8 where it says God says and I will give it to you as a heritage. Now that's the land. What else? The land and the Torah is called a Russia. The Torah is also called a Russia. So that's what it means. But what about Deuteronomy 33:4, right? God commanded Moses, right? Look in Deuteronomy 33 verse4. The Torah that Moses commanded us is also a called a moasha to Mosha. Morasha [snorts] and just look at the rashi. We have taken hold of it and we will not forsake it. Okay, back into the clear. He says that the Jewish people, they didn't fully understand what Moses meant. I'm not sure if it's a typo, but basically maybe what they thought it was just a regular land, just a regular land that perhaps they were coming into a land not for some kind of ultimate higher purpose. were called true purpose of life and wisdom but rather of it's a great question. You think they were just coming in for the jaffa oranges or for the watermelons that grow near Natala, right? No. Or the dates that that grow in Angetti. No. In other words, they were really coming into Erit Israel for the sake of the Torah, not just to benefit from the physical, you know, land of milk and honey. Moshe. That's why they were questioning the words of Mosheim because he already gave over certain types of rebuke or let's say well Mus it could here mean that he gave over the signs. Okay, that they were that's what it means. Moses already gave over the signs. They're going to leave Egypt in order to come to a higher purpose. Remember I asked the question, why should four-fifths of the Jews die in Egypt? What what was such a sin? Because they didn't want to leave. So what's so immoral? I think the concept is and Jews have always wanted a better future. If you don't have the hope of a better world, that's already immoral. [snorts] Okay? So, it's a pretty severe im um moral choice that these Jews made by staying behind. But not only did they not survive, Hashem took them out during the ninth plague, ninth plague, the three days of darkness. But there was a sim, there was mus. There was already a sign that was handed over to them. They were going, as Rabbi Rowitz always says, when the Jews were standing up for the rights of Russian jewelry, they held signs, let my people go, but they forgot the latter part of the verse so that they may serve me. Right? The whole idea of this freedom was in order to serve Hashem, which is where the true freedom comes from. As it says here, it's the Torah and the mitzvah. that that through the Torah and the mitzvah you will merit eternal life. You hear that? And Moses hinted to this in his words. They didn't understand uh they didn't understand only like superficially. And this is what it says over there in Exodus 6:9, right? Moses spoke to the children of Israel, but they did not hearken to Moses because of their shortness of breath and because of their hard labor. They didn't hearken. What does that mean? They didn't listen. No, it means they didn't comprehend. There was something lacking in their understanding. And that's what happens to be the rest of that rashi that we didn't read. But that's the understanding over there. The idea of Shia listening means accepting what you heard, not just listening. Like it says in Deuteronomy 9:49. That would be on 21 on the source. The Lord will bring upon you a nation from afar and from the end of the earth as an eagle swoops down and nations whose language you will not understand. Okay. Um here it also means that they didn't understand not that they didn't hear it they heard it but they didn't understand it. So the wordishma has to do with understanding as the last line says the idea of like when we say Israel it's not just listen O Israel it's understand O Israel top left side the reason they didn't understand is because of their shortness of breath, because of the stress, because of the work, their shortness of understanding. That's what it means from the hard work that because of this hard work, they lost their wisdom. In other words, they they they lost the wisdom like the first that we read before. Okay, we mentioned there are four things that go down into galut and angels is one of them. Can you imagine? I never realized this that the angels also go down. They're immersed in the troubles of Israel at the time that Israel is in exile. as it says in it's um the the rabbis explain that at the time of the destruction of the temple the angels were diminished. The angels were diminished. It says in Isaiah 33:7 and number 22 on the source sheet, behold for their altar they have cried in the streets. Ambassadors of peace weep bitterly. Now, and who are the ambassadors of peace? Rash the puss says malik shalom the angels. the angels. Um, okay. So, the angels of peace literally when there was a destruction. Okay. And also like Rashi says on the verse in Aka, look in Lamentations 2:2, we'll have to see the Rashi, but it says over there, the Lord, this is about the destruction. And the Lord had destroyed and has had no pity for all the inhabitations of Jacob. In his wrath, he has broken down the strongholds of Yehuda. He struck them to the ground. And now, this is the important part. He has profaneed the kingdom and its princes. Now, Paship shot, it's talking about the Jewish people, the inhabitants of Jacob is mentioned. Fine. And who are the princes? The Jewish people. But look down on the underlined part of Rashi. There's a midrash that states these are the heavenly princes whose assignments he changed. In other words, when there was the exile and there are the angel of water, the angel of fire, the angel of air, whatever they have power over that God granted them, what God did was he changed them up because there were some Jews, maybe other people as well, who used the ineffable name, the the name of God. I'll read the rashi. They used the wi these were wicked people to try to get favor. So, they used special name of God. But what happened is it should have worked, but since God changed their roles, the angel of water was now the angel of fire. And so things weren't working out so well. Look what it says. There's a major shagu that states, "These are the heavenly princes whose assignments God changed. The one appointed over fire, he appointed over water. And he changed all the appointees because they're among the wicked of Israel. Those who knew the ineffable name and they relied upon the fact that they should they could adure the heavenly princes to save them from fire, from water or from sword. Now when he would adjure the prince of fire by his name, the angel who was called upon to do something by the Jew uh using the ephe name would respond that dominion is not in my hands. and similarly with all them. So they were also down with us in exile. They were removed from their highest points. That's what it means as we just read in Rashi Shamala when we spoke about these right it says about the the the kingdom and its princes were profained. It's talking about the angels who were appointed over different things. Now this is a summary of everything we just talked about that these four they went down they were submersed with the Jewish people in exile there the other three and it was all in order shu Israel in order that the Jewish people would be assured that they would eventually get out as We'll soon see they don't belong in exile. God doesn't belong in exile. The Torah doesn't belong in exile. And certainly angels don't. Gimmel the gimmel. But the truth be told that these three things protected the Jews even in their exile. Of course, God was there to protect them. Of course, the Torah is there to protect them. Of course, even the angels are fulfilling their duty that God would use them to to protect the Jews. Now, this is an unbelievable paragraph because he's going to tell us about four prophets who were kotigar. They challenged God. They were complaining about injustice. So it says right parallel to these four things that went into gullis that's the Jewish people that's God the Torah as well as the angels there were dal nim kotigar four prophets that challenged hashem on this very matter okay they were complaining about the injustice David Jeremiah Assaf and the children of let's go through each one. David said in Psalms 10 verse1 David says, "Oh Lord, why do you stand from afar?" That's what he's saying. God, you've promised you would be with us in our in our exile, in our pain, in our troubles, and you feel so distant. Well, guess what David says? Guess what God responds? That's not a good neighbor. You're not a good neighbor. That doesn't make sense. God says, God responds, right? They're not good neighbors. They're the ones who distance themselves from me. Okay? They distanced themselves from me. Behold, the stood in by the olive trees and announced and proclaimed, "Shuanim, return, my children, return." But they the children did not listen. You hear that? And what about Jeremiah? How is he uh kotigar? How is he challenging Hashem? It says in a lamentations 5:20 it says why do you forget us forever? So Jeremiah wants to know God why are you forgetting us forever? Okay. So God responds to him. Is it not written in Psalms 10613 quickly they forgot his deeds? Now the word Mosheim is really a play on the words because he plays the word Moshim but it says masav they forgot his deeds or they forgot about hope. They just gave up hope. Either way that's God's response. It's not me it's you. And Assaf comes and says also in Psalms 74:1, "Why, oh God, have you forsaken forever?" Right? Why have you abandoned us forever? Why have you forsaken us forever? So God responds to him, "Hello, no, they're the ones who abandon me." As it says in Hosiah 8:3, Hosea 8:3, Israel has cast off the good one. Israel, God abandoned the good one. It's Hashem that they abandoned. Like it says in Psalms, we know that to is Hashem. Okay? When it says of Israel abandoned to the good one, it says in Psalms 145:9, the Lord is good to all. So that we know God is to what about the lama. So in Psalms 44:25, why do you hide your countenance? They ask, right? God's hiding himself. God responds responds, "You are the guys that are hiding yourselves." Like it says in Jeremiah 20 27, "For they turned to me their nape, the back of their necks, and not their faces. It was the Jewish people that turned away." Ram. This hints to the four prophets that challenged Hashem that complained about justice while Jewish people were in exile and they're asking so okay fine they sin. This is their argument. Fine they sin but why send them out? Why send them into exile? Share that the way of the father is to make corrective measures is to give rebuke somehow bring the child back through especially while the child is sitting at the table is still in the home of of the father and And it's not the way of the father to uh leg to force out to um right to for put into exile the son from before him. And furthermore, what else did they argue even if the Jewish people were liable to exile? What kind of benefit is there for God, the Torah, and the to go into exile with them? So even if you're not going to do it for their sake, at least they're arguing that you should redeem them for your sake, for your name, for your Torah, and for your for your your angels that are with them in exile. This is just the beginning of a long, long essay. Um, we I think we learned a lot in terms of Hebrew, in terms of Jewish Hashkafa. Uh, I think I can remind you of a famous story. Um, they tell this especially in the recovery programs. Somebody turns around and says, "God, you know, every time that I had really difficult times, I noticed, well, put it this way. I always noticed that there were two foots of thing of footprints in the in the sand and I knew you were always with me. But when I really went through very troubling times, I noticed there was only one set of footprints. Why did you abandon me? You ever heard this one? Why did you abandon? God responds, my son, you fool. It was me who was carrying you. That's why you only saw one set of footprints in the sand. Okay. Also the cuts go they said where is God and he says wherever you let him in. So as long as we're not closing ourselves off we really want that to us. We really want that relationship with God even in galas. Remember he is with you in your troubles. He is with you in all your troubles. Not just in the past exile with Egypt but also in today's troubles. And with that, first of all, everyone have a good shabamas, a great week, a great year, and it should continue to rain. We what do we say? It should rain in the right place at the right time, the right amount. And for those who understand what I'm saying, continue to pray for that call to [music] [singing] [music] My birthday [singing] [music] [singing] sh my [music and singing]